Cleveland Mayor Frank Jackson for the second year running decided to go with a Q&A format instead of a traditional speech for his State of the City presentation Wednesday -- an interview fielded by a local journalist followed by audience questions -- a format that should allow plenty of time for probing the mayor on issues that, it turned out ranged from the police to potholes.

Maybe it was the acoustics. Maybe it was the mayor not being very forthcoming. Maybe it was the luck of the draw on the questions. But some in attendance thought the presentation far drier and more lackluster than in years past. Yet what Jackson said was also revealing -- his award of an overall "B" to the police force; his statement that he generally supports those who find Chief Wahoo offensive but would not seek to impose those views on the Indians; his strong statement of support for bringing the 2016 GOP nominating convention to Cleveland. Our individual editorial board members weigh in with their thoughts and we welcome your input in the comments below as we formulate our editorial position on the mayor's 2014 State of the City presentation.

Sharon Broussard, editorial writer, Northeast Ohio Media Group:

Sorry, but this year the format didn't seem to work as well as last year's and the mayor's answers were less than illuminating. Still, it was good to hear him give a strong statement of support for immigration and push for a GOP convention to Cleveland.

The high grades he gave the police stink of grade inflation, but his assessment of school reform was right on the mark. There's been some progress, but there's a long way to go. The good thing is that the mayor has been very involved on this issue, a sign that Cleveland just may be able to turn things around.

Thomas Suddes, editorial writer

The mayor is a good steward. But he is not a dynamic steward. And it is very difficult to reconcile his grade of "B" to a police department that exhibited such bad decision-making in November's fatal chase.

Christopher Evans, editorial writer, Northeast Ohio Media Group:

I live in the city. I love it and I hate it.

I love the bars, the live music joints, the library, the Capitol Theatre, Ingenuity Fest, Bizarre Bazaar, the Napoleons at Farkas Bakery, the churros at La Plaza, the joe at Rising Star Coffee Roasters and Visible Voice, the best bookstore east of City Lights Books in San Francisco.

I hate listening to Mayor Frank Jackson noodle on about nothing -- a "B" grade for the police department? What the heck does that mean? You could have caught more violent felons? You could have treated rape survivors with more respect? You could have been more transparent? You could have shot 130 bullets instead of 137? Let's see what grade the feds give the cops when they complete their investigation into excessive use of force.

I hate potholes.

Peter Krouse, editorial writer, Northeast Ohio Media Group:

I realize that Mayor Jackson is not at his best when giving speeches and that a Q&A format is perhaps more to his liking, but I think when a chief executive gives a state of ... address, be it to the nation, the state, the county or the city, it should be less like a press conference and more like, well, a speech. It's a leader's chance to frame the issues his or her way, and to show the people how willing he or she is to be candid and visionary without being prompted. Jackson should go back to giving an actual speech for his State of the City address. It may require a little more effort on his part, but it goes with the job. Just because you don't like to go outside during recess doesn't mean you should be allowed to sit in the library.

Elizabeth Sullivan, opinion director, Northeast Ohio Media Group:

Frank Jackson is never going to be a bring-the-roof-down sort of a speaker. His State of the City speeches were always a careful recitation of the core fiscal values that have kept him boring and kept the city solvent. This year, he spoke most passionately on what impassions him the most -- and what is the most critical issue for Cleveland's future -- Cleveland school reforms. He must remain engaged in that process, and he signalled he will be. Yet at the start of what's likely to be his final term as mayor, it would have been nice to see him take a few more risks than his grudging support for immigration. Clearly, he believes Chief Wahoo should go. Why not say so? All in all, I give this year's presentation a "B-" and that's quite a bit of grade inflation.

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